Surfmat Maintenance: Topping Up Grip

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I've put together a little video on topping up grip. Now apologies for it being a bit boring but it's difficult to make this exciting! Still, I hope it's useful for those who need it.

You will need:

1) Good quality masking tape.

2) Flexible plastic spreader - DO NOT USE METAL!

3) A tube of Sikaflex FC11 Sealant (or your preferred alternative)

4) A nail brush.

5) Gloves

6) A bin close to hand.

Any questions then feel free to get in touch.

Cheers

G

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EDIT: US readers please read this article: 

http://customsurfmats.com/blog/2014/8/24/sikaflex-news

G-Mat 45 (AKA "Zeno")

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I've just finished building a mat for Australian mat maestro, Warren Pfeiffer.  For those unaware of his surfing, here is an edit of him surfing at Gnaraloo.

Warren has been having fun riding a second hand G-Mat for a little while and was keen to get onto something with a wider range. Having discussed what he was after, a Ute scaled to his tall frame seemed to be the right choice.

G-Mat 45 (AKA "Zeno")

G-Mat 45 (AKA "Zeno")

Zeno is a 200/70 construction and, a free-breather. Warren had some particular ideas around the area of coverage for the grip. Most notably, taking the coverage on the central pontoon far further forward than I would normally.  

I'll be really interested to hear how this goes down.

Stay tuned.

Cheers

G

G-Mat 45 (AKA "Zeno")

More Mats For Ya Buck!

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Don't get excited... G-Mat's are still cripplingly expensive, although Stirling seems to be wobbling a touch (yes!). Oh, and they're still half the price of a custom surfboard so....

OK, now it IS time to get excited! I've just finished a pair of mats for ASB. These are the next step in a project that that we have been working on to develop the perfect surfmat for Rincon. ASB rated his last ones as "A+++" so it's safe to say that further tinkering is really about fine tuning.

G-Mats 43 & 44 (AKA "Accept Join Mr Torn III" and  "Accept Join Mr Torn IV"

Oh yeah... ASB still likes his mats black. He also likes them to breath freely with 200 denier decks and 3/4 grip patterns which both have.

Anyway, we have pushed out the width and accentuated the bottom contours a little on G-Mat 43 and pushed out G-Mat 44 a little more thus slightly accentuating to inside contour of the rail pontoons (thus reducing the hook) and slightly dropping the concave (although it still has a solid concave).

I can't wait for feedback on these and plan to build myself one once ASB finally hits the target.

Baited breath....

G

G-Mats 41 & 42 (Glider XR)

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I've just packed up a mat going to Californian skateboarding legend that is Henry Hester.  

G&S Hester Model Logo

Henry recently tried out my G-Mat Glider and enjoyed the ride but, having come from riding round-tail mats, found the tail a little loose. After a little arm twisting, Henry talked me into building him a modified Glider with my original XR corner template at the tail and an extre 1/2 inch of length. I used this template on the first two mats I ever made.

Other than that, this is a Glider with Tweener template front corners and completely free-breathing (I'm done with wheezers).

So, here's introducing G-Mat 41 (AKA "Stinkles").

G-Mat 41 (AKA "Stinkles")

G-Mat with valve fitted to bottom skin.

Henry tells me that his face is too beautiful to risk damage so he has opted to have his valve below the seam at the nose of the mat. I've tucked it up under the edge-lap to ensure that it stays clear of the water.

How well this arrangement works out remains to be seen but it should be fine. All in all this is a really experimental model which will need to be field tested.

Given that, I just have to try one myself so have built the monochrome sister of Stinkles: G-Mat 42 (AKA "Big 'H'"). I've named the mat after Henry. 

G-Mat 42 (AKA "Big H")

G-Mat XR Corner Template

So then, that's two of us trying these out so lets see how they go. It'll be really interesting for me to get back to the XR corner and see how it performs with my current dimensions and I can't wait to hear Henry's thoughts.

Cheers

G

G-Mat 40 (AKA "Richard")

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My new ride and I'm pretty pleased with her. 

G-Mat 40 (AKA "Richard")

Richard is a 70/70, free-breathing Ute and is likely to be the last mat I'm going to be making for myself for some time. I really fancied a clean look and am pleased with the results, with the giant G logo not looking too OTT. 

I personally love the responsiveness and speed achieved through 70/70 construction, combined with easy air transfer. I've had a go out in small, sectioning waves so far and she's got into waves early and displaces very little water. Richard made sections well, holding a high line but releasing well when asked. 

Fins out and off... A thoroughly pleasant afternoon.

The 70/70 Ute is a different creature to the 200/70 set up (well, 70/70 mats are completely different to their heavier counterparts full-stop) and aren't for everyone, being very sensitive. But for me, nothing really comes close to the feeling.  

Got some more waves about at the mo and I've got time off after Tuesday so should get plenty on my new go to mat. 

G

G-Mat 39 (AKA "Grace Cajones")

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This is Grace Cajones, a G-Mat Ubercat built for Dan Lawrence.

G-Mat 39 (AKA "Grace Cajones")

One of Dan's local breaks

Dan lives in Mid-Cornwall in the UK and has to wedges and shallow breaking beach breaks close to home so spends a lot of his time having to get his act together and find a line pretty sharpish! Given that, the obvious choice was an Ubercat. Dan has opted for a 200/70 set up and Sikaflex grip. The is a free-breather.  

As you can see, he's gone for the sleek and subtle approach being the suave man of style that he is.  This is a very small mat because... well... she's a custom surfmat so you work it out!

Anyway, it looks like a reasonable run of swell over the next week or so, so I'll be interested to hear (and see) how Dan and Grace Cajones get on.

Cheers

G